Charles john etjssbll ballaed



(No Model.)

0. J. R. BALLARD.

PAPER WEIGHT. No. 299,946. Patented June 10, 1884.

Wiineases: lfiuemfar.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES JOHN RUSSELL BALLARD, OF ORLAND, CALIFORNIA.

PAPER-WEIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,946, dated June 10, 1884-.

Application filed December 26, 1883. No model.)

i" aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that'I, CHARLES J. R. BALLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orland, in the county of Oolusa and State of California, have invented a new and useful Paper-Vveight, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention has relation to improvements in paperqveights; and it consists, in connection with a suitable base, of a pair of springarms carrying friction-rollers for holding papers and the like, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and particularly pointed outin the claims appended.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for holding bills, papers, envelopes,

and other articles of a similar nature, in such a manner thatthe said articles may be placed in the device without necessitating the operator raising the weight or using any exertion other than slipping the papers with one hand under the friction-rollers.

Heretofore paper-cla1nps have been constructed in which spring-arms are used to clamp papers and hold them down; but in such devices it has always been necessary for the operator to raise the arms or weights with one hand While inserting the papers under the weights or arms with the other. These devices have been found objectionable for various reasons; and to overcome these objections I have provided the device shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which the engagement of the paper to be weighted and held by the wheels causes them to raise and turn until the paper has been inserted a sufficient distance.

The figure of the drawing represents a plan view of my invention.

Referring by letter to the said drawing, A indicates the base, which may be of cast-iron or other suitable material, and is preferably of fiat rectangular contour. This base is provided in its front marginal wall at suitable intervals with perforations D, for the insertion of the inner or free ends of spring-arms O, which are designed to pass through said perforations, and also through similar perforations,E,in the top wall of the weighted base A, where the ends may be secured, as shown.

B indicates an axle, of a design similar to a car-axle, and is provided with wheels F, which are made fast thereto. Around this axle at a suitable interval is loosely coiled the outer ends of the spring-arms G in such a manner as not to bind on the axle, but allow it to rotate freely when engaged by any articles to be held beneath its wheels.

By this construction it will be perceived that the paper or other articles desired to be held are placed against the under periphery of the friction-wheels and pressed in the direction of the base A, when the spring-arms will allow the said friction-wheels to raise and rotate until the paper has been sufficiently inserted, when the wheels will bind down in a positive manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the base A, of the spring-arms O C, secured at their inner ends to the saidbase, and provided at their outer ends with frictionrollers, substantially as specified.

2. In a paper-weight, the combinatiomwith the base A, having the perforations D and E, of the spring-arms O, secured at their inner ends to the said base, and at their outer ends to an axle, B, carrying friction-rollers, sub stantially as specified.

CHARLES JOHN RUSSELL BALLARD.

Witnesses:

FRANK FREEMAN, R. V. ORoTHERs. 

